Canada loses measles elimination status after year-long outbreak

The Public Health Agency of Canada said Monday that the country has lost its measles elimination status.

In a statement, the Canadian agency said it was notified about the change of status by the Pan American Health Organization, after verifying that the same strain of the measles virus has been continuously transmitted within the country for over a year.

According to the statement, Canada is currently experiencing a large, multi-jurisdictional outbreak of measles that began in October 2024.

As of October 25, 2025, a cumulative total of 5,138 measles cases have been reported across the country this year, said a weekly report monitoring measles and rubella issued by the Canadian government, adding that two deaths have been reported, both in premature infants with congenital measles.

Canada previously achieved measles elimination status in 1998.

While transmission has slowed recently, the outbreak has persisted for over 12 months, primarily within under-vaccinated communities, the agency said.

It noted that Canada can re-establish its measles elimination status once transmission of the current outbreak's measles strain is interrupted for at least 12 months.

Measles is an acute and highly contagious viral respiratory illness, primarily spread through respiratory droplets and aerosols. Symptoms including high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, and a characteristic rash usually appear one to two weeks after exposure. Severe cases can lead to complications such as pneumonia.